DLA Piper Global CEO Race Shrinks to Partners Severs, Lemarchand

Two DLA Piper partners, one based in London and the other in Paris, are vying to replace Simon Levine as global co-CEO, the highest post at the mega-firm.

The winner will serve along with New York-based Frank Ryan, who was reelected to a second term as co-CEO earlier this year.

The race has narrowed to Charles Severs and Stephane Lemarchand, a firm spokesperson confirmed Wednesday.

London-based Severs is an M&A lawyer whose clients have included John Menzies PLC, Symphony Technology Group, Elekta Inc., and Hexcel Corp. Lemarchand, based in Paris, an intellectual property lawyer who concentrates on information technology transactions and litigation.

Levine’s term as international managing partner and global co-CEO concludes at the end of 2024, and will end a roughly decade-long run. Lemarchand or Severs will move into the role Jan. 1 of next year.

“We are currently in the final stages of the succession process,” a DLA Piper spokesperson confirmed in a written statement. “It is important that we follow due process over the course of the succession period and as such we will announce the firm’s Managing Partner-elect when it is appropriate to do so.”

Five partners originally vied for the job, according to reports. The firm’s spokesperson declined to name the three who are no longer running.

The new global co-CEO will join Ryan, DLA Piper’s America’s chair other global co-CEO, at the top of the firm’s management chain. In November, the firm announced that Ryan was reelected to a second four-year term in leadership.

DLA Piper is the third-largest US firm, according to the annual American Lawyer survey. In 2022, the firm brought in $3.68 billion in gross revenue, up 6.2% from the prior year, while touting almost $2.9 million in profits per equity partner.

Levine, Severs, and Lemarchand didn’t immediately reply to requests for comment.